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Everyone has an album that personally defines nostalgia at its finest. For me, putting on something like the Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream or Radiohead’s OK Computer brings me back to the days where the most important thing on my plate was an eighth grade math quiz. Throughout the years, some albums retain their level of brilliance, others sound outdated, and a handful might even sound better. Regardless, there is nothing shameful in listening to something for its nostalgic reverence, as these albums often encompass the tracks that would be put on some cheesy “Soundtrack of Our Life” feature. We envision a certain place, person, or event when the song begins, reminding us – for better or worse – why exactly we were so drawn towards the song in the first place. When Woodpigeon, a Calgary-based octet, were compiling the bulk of material on Treasury Library Canada, they were doing so as a break of sorts from working on their first album, Songbook. Frustration was mounting as vocalist/guitarist Mark Hamilton found difficulty in perfecting Songbook, an album that was warmly received when it eventually came out in 2006, and he used the songwriting for Treasury Library Canada as a relief of sorts. Several years after the release of Songbook, Hamilton decided to give those “relief tracks” another listen for the sake of outside acclaim and simple nostalgia.

The material that would later appear on Treasury Library Canada did remind Hamilton of his struggles with completing Songbook, but it also gave him insight as to how his songwriting could sound when it is focused, undeterred, and genuine. These was aspects that were noticeable throughout Songbook, but not nearly in the way that is successfully demonstrated on Treasury Library Canada. There is more consistency in the first five tracks than Songbook could generate throughout the entire album, another result of Hamilton’s unintentionally focused attempt at crafting a quality album without the hindrance of a deadline or assorted pressures. It seems ironic that the juxtaposition of both pressure and serenity resulted in the success of Treasury Library Canada, as the stress of producing Songbook provided Woodpigeon with the focus and relaxation required to result in the success of Treasury Library Canada. And coming back to that aspect of nostalgia, Hamilton compared the process of rediscovering Treasury Library Canada as a quality release to that of “the idea of pulling down some books from your childhood that you’d never even read then, and realizing how amazing they are”. Being one of the songwriters, Hamilton was obviously familiar with the substance of the songs, but he was never able to recognize their beauty without the willingness to reflect upon an aspect of his career that he could have easily, but erroneously, deemed as forgettable.

Comprised simply of friends that love playing music together, the eight members of Woodpigeon generally came together through word-of-mouth. Friends of Hamilton began hearing his songs and were so captivated by them that they could not resist offering their help. Well, I guess you could classify it then as “word-of-music”, but you can get the idea how quality songwriting often equates to quality collaborators. It is certainly not difficult to get engrossed in Hamilton’s music either, as it emits a pleasant aroma of folky indie-pop that sits somewhere between the poetically infectious brilliance of Elliott Smith and the indie-pop wit of The Shins. With that in mind, I suppose an act like Belle & Sebastian fits the mold, since their infusion of both memorable lyrical sentiments and catchy pop melodies concoct an intelligent form of pop music that has become the go-to genre for many with the desire to check out indie-pop for the first time. The most impressive thing about Treasury Library Canada is how accessible it manages to be while also invoking a sense of considerable ambition, mainly outlined in the often unpredictable structures and Hamilton’s astute ability to intertwine complex melodies in a precise and organized fashion. The instrumentation remains within the realm of conventionally orchestral indie-pop – with an assortment of strings and woodwind accompanying guitars, bass, and percussion – but the songwriting presented on the album is frequently something to marvel at. Now, since Boompa Records imported in Treasury Library Canada in early February, all listeners will have the privilege.

Considering the quality exhibited on Treasury Library Canada, it is hard to believe that Hamilton did not even initially consider it to be a proper follow-up to Songbook. A song like “Love in the Time of Hopscotch”, with its quick progression of sparkling keys and contagious male-female duet, has much of what it takes to become a successful single. This shows the most accessible side of Woodpigeon, but they still never stray too far into forcedly unconventional territory. “I Live A Lot of Places” begins with the gradual accompaniment of several violins, each joining in sporadically to complete the melody. Before the acoustic guitars and steady percussion shifts into a very amiable folk song, a very quick but beautiful rush of strings establish how many hidden treasures lay in this song, among many others throughout the album. The strings re-appear on the passionate and successful “Anna, Girl in the Clocktower” in a more volatile form, gently cleaning up the fuzz from the guitar distortion and heavy bass. The tender “A Moment’s Peace for Mary Christa O’Keefe” benefits from Hamilton’s effective vocal delivery, one which relies on a slight quiver as it forces its way to the forefront above the warm acoustics. A burst of instrumentation occurs slightly after the two-minute mark, but many listeners will likely prefer its preceding accompaniment for its simplistic qualities. But even if some tracks take a route that will have listeners scratching their heads, Hamilton’s gift of songwriting usually leads the listener the right way. We will see if this trend continues when Woodpigeon release their third album, Die Stadt Muzikanten, later this year.

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Woodpigeon - Love in the Time of Hopscotch

Download audio file (woodpi-lov.mp3)

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Woodpigeon - I Live a Lot of Places

Download audio file (woodpi-ili.mp3)

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Woodpigeon - Anna, Girl in the Clocktower

Download audio file (woodpi-ann.mp3)

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There are few active bands that have released material as often and consistently as The Church. They have averaged an album every year or so since their 1981 debut, releasing over 20 albums and a handful of EPs over the span of 28 years. While it is impressive that the core members have remained throughout the entire duration and they continue to work well and often together, it is their consistency that has allowed The Church to be widely considered one of the best Australian bands of the past two decades. Western fans are likely to associate The Church with their 1988 hit single, “Under the Milky Way”, rather than their albums as a whole, but I urge those that are not familiar with the group’s large body of work to check out their classic albums; these include Starfish, Heyday, and their first two albums, Of Skins and Heart and The Blurred Crusade. While these four were all released in the ‘80s, The Church have released some surprisingly strong material in the ‘90s. It is practical to say that they are one of the few groups that have released albums consistently since the early ‘80s without one dud to their name. The only immediate group I can think of that resembles such success is The Pet Shop Boys, as even the greatest bands seem to have a misstep or two along the way.

Much of The Church’s consistency can be attributed to the immense talent of the three core members, Steve Kilbey, Marty Willson-Piper, and Peter Koppes. Not surprisingly, each one has seen success as a solo artist. As the lead singer, lyricist, and bassist for The Church, Kilbey’s distinctively melancholic vocals have always made him a staple of the group. For his solo work, Kilbey’s style is considerably more ambitious and prolonged than his work with The Church. His vivid lyrics have always remained prominent throughout his eight solo albums, as has some solid songwriting on albums that appear to fill the void between releases from The Church. Willson-Piper has served as The Church’s main songwriter and his songwriting chops certainly show on his solo material. Though his style serves more straightforwardly in relation to the jangle-rock of The Church, Willson-Piper’s excellent skills as a guitarist and songwriter have allowed him to craft an inventive approach to his solo material. Koppes also released a few solo albums, showcasing his catchy blend of guitars and keyboards. All three artists have also collaborated with some of the most influential musicians of the ‘70s and ‘80s, Australian or not. Kilbey was involved in the previously featured Jack Frost with the late Grant McLennan, while Willson-Piper has worked with everyone from Tom Verlaine to David Gedge. As The Church prove alone, it must be contagious to work with great songwriters.

In what appears to be an instance of extraordinary timing, both Kilbey and Willson-Piper are releasing their first new solo material in years within a month of one another. Both Kilbey’s Painkiller and Willson-Piper’s Nightjar are being put out by Second Motion Records, a North Carolina-based label that also plans to release a new studio album by The Church this spring. Kilbey’s Painkiller was released on February 17th and Willson-Piper’s Nightjar is slated for a March 3rd release. What I find so astounding is the quality exhibited on both albums, despite the different approaches that the two artists take. It should be interesting as to how fans of The Church will identify with each release. Each one boasts the strengths of both musicians and still manages to sound like a completely separate entity of The Church. On their solo albums, Kilbey’s voice sounds just as good as it did in the late ‘80s and Willson-Piper’s songwriting remains just as tasteful, but the unique properties that they add to their albums makes it a very exciting event, whether you are The Church’s most fanatical fan or have never even heard of them.

Kilbey’s solo material has often been classified as eccentric, at least in comparison to his material with The Church. Painkiller, his first solo album in seven years, continues along his adventurous path in compiling eleven songs that are indicative of Kilbey’s strengths as a lyricist, songwriter, and vocalist. Painkiller has everything a fan of Kilbey could want; there are energetically catchy two-minute gems like “Wolfe”, atmospherically blissful interpretations of Church-like pop like “Celestial” and “Crystalline Rush”, and memorable acoustical efforts like “Song for the Masking”. There is also the ambitious instrumental “File Under Travel”, a highly alternating, twelve-minute effort that shifts between heavy waves of guitar distortion and fused field sounds. Something similar can be said for the electronic soundscapes of “Not What You Say”, the 31-minute closer to the album. This track also is indication of Kilbey’s apparent fascination with field recordings, as “Not What You Say” applies only the sound of raindrops and thunder for five minutes. Overall, this album is all over the place in terms of style and lyrical content. Because of Kilbey’s immense focus and talent though, he succeeds in each format (even if some songs – like the 30-minute ambient efforts – may not appeal to everyone).The Church’s drummer, Tim Powles, also makes an appearance alongside Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Ricky Maymi to collaborate on an album that proves to be one of Kilbey’s finest.

Willson-Piper’s first album in nearly nine years, Nightjar, is considerably more tied-down affair than Kilbey’s Painkiller. However, this certainly does not imply that Nightjar is a generic and dull affair. In fact, many listeners may immediately prefer Nightjar because of its accessibility. As Willson-Piper displayed on previous solo efforts like She’s King and Hanging Out in Heaven, he has a knack for writing beautifully serene tracks that do not require elaborate instrumentation or experimental tendencies to succeed. Such can be heard on ballads like “The Love You Never Had” and “Lullaby for the Lonely”, both tracks that utilize a country-ish twang and the simultaneous croon of Willson-Piper and Swedish/Polynesian Tiare Helberg, the latter classified by Second Motion Records as a “star in the making”. The substance she adds to Willson-Piper’s already impressive sound is immense, often employing a beautiful duet of sorts that makes this Willson-Piper/Helberg combination similar to that of the Academy Award-winning duo of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová. Strings add to the romanticized elegance of “Lullaby for the Lonely”, while a haunting slide guitar establishes the melancholic beauty of “The Love You Never Had” as Willson-Piper sings, “I take my place in line to be alone / There are millions in front me I know.” The sheer precision of this vocal duo is outstanding, as are the majority of other tracks on the album. The ardently moving “No One”, the charming mixture of keyboards and acoustics on the poppy “Feed Your Mind”, and the exotic use of woodwinds in the coarse “Song for Victor Jara” are all highlights in their own unique ways. Like his longtime collaborator Steve Kilbey, Willson-Piper’s new solo release is filled with a variety of differing successes.

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Steve Kilbey - Wolfe

Download audio file (skil-wol.mp3)

Steve Kilbey - Celestial

Download audio file (skil-cel.mp3)

Steve Kilbey - Crystalline Rush

Download audio file (skil-cry.mp3)

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Marty Willson-Piper - Lullaby for the Lonely

Download audio file (wilp-lul.mp3)

Marty Willson-Piper - The Love You Never Had

Download audio file (wilp-lov.mp3)

Marty Willson-Piper - Feed Your Mind

Download audio file (wilp-fee.mp3)

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The Church

MySpace: Steve Kilbey, Marty Willson-Piper, The Church

BUY: Steve Kilbey, Marty Willson-Piper, The Church

In independent music, anticipation can sometimes be just as important as the material itself. Artists have taken advantage of such leverage before, pushing an album’s release date ahead or behind originally scheduled to keep in sync with the amount of foreseen hype. This practice is viewed by many as a shameful and manipulative way to monetize subpar material. While many artists are practically starving to be given any sort of recognition, it is usually the artists that are prominent enough to actually generate anticipation that partake in such actions. As for the others, it is usually just the result of tactfulness. It is, at least, in the case of Brent Randall & His Pinecones. There are few artists that dare to wait five years to release follow-up material to an acclaimed debut, mainly due to a fear of losing the audience that the initial material strived so hard to capture. What is so bold about Brent Randall & His Pinecones is how they avoided the temptation to follow their debut EP, Quite Precisely, immediately, instead opting to tour for the next several years as a means to build a foundation for the group and improve their overall chemistry. This unique plan has clearly rewarded them well; their new album presents some of the most polished and memorable material that one is bound to hear from a band that they have never heard of.

When Brent Randall & His Pinecones released their debut EP, Quite Precisely, in 2004, they were greeted with acclaim from local publications that saw their release as one of the best to hail from Halifax in a long time. The Canadian natives took the glowing press to heart and proceeded to tour throughout the province of Nova Scotia and beyond. Out of the publications that got Quite Precisely in their hands, there were few that did not praise the excellent songwriting of Randall. They showcased their signature sound immediately, flaunting a sophisticated form of chamber-pop that borrowed just as much from ‘60s pop as it did from contemporary crooners like Rufus Wainwright, Neil Hannon, and Stuart Staples. Randall’s songwriting is reminiscent of the symphonic pop music that troubadours like Randy Newman, Burt Bacharach, and even Paul McCartney have gained renown for, but Randall’s vocal approach is dynamic enough to incorporate more genres and influences than chamber-pop is accustomed to. This result places Brent Randall & His Pinecones in a category where groups like B.C. Camplight and Field Music exist; he finds himself at the perfect meeting place between indie-rock and chamber-pop. That the six-piece is talented was clear to audiences that saw Brent Randall & His Pinecones at various performances, but whether or not they had the ability to direct all their talent toward an album was a question that was continuously being asked. Now, it has been answered resoundingly.

While their sound certainly shows that Randall and co. certainly have an appreciation for the ‘60s and ‘70s, their new album, We Were Strangers in Paddington Green, showcases a very eclectic sound that remains highly accessible and infectious despite the good amount of variation that Randall includes. There were 24 different musicians that were involved in the creation process, with most of them touting a different instrument. Try not to be swept away by the tidily serene pop goodness of “Strange Love (Don’t Be Lazy)”, the brassy uproar of “Bluebirds, Flowers and Other Things”, or the string-led elegance of “Slumberjack”. I find myself enamored by all three of those tracks, but if one does not enjoy the style presented on one of them I still urge you to listen to the album in its entirety. We Were Strangers in Paddington Green is a beautifully constructed attempt at chamber-pop in its mixture of tempos, alternating structural tendencies, andvarying instrumental tones. These aspects create a sense of diversity while simultaneously maintaining a style that is cohesive throughout the album’s entire duration. “Slumberjack” finds the group attempting a heartfelt ballad in its purest form, while “Bluebirds, Flowers and Other Things” has a touch of rock ‘n’ roll to it that adds extra life to its orchestral exterior.

“Strange Love (Don’t Be Lazy)” fits somewhere in between the two; it boasts a fancifully convincing chorus that triumphs with ardent excellence before taking over a verse that is elegant by any stretch of the imagination.
Released in 2008 as a 45″, the first single from We Were Strangers in Paddington Green is “Strange Love (Don’t Be Lazy)”. Even after the first listen, I found myself completely captivated by the Randall’s ability to write a pop song. Apart from its beautiful arrangements and high level of accessibility, Randall informs the listener that his vocals are flawless when in appliance to this type of music. His natural voice is uncharacteristically deep for the specified genre of chamber-pop, but his ability to alternate pitches comes in handy during the outstanding chorus of “Strange Love (Don’t Be Lazy)”. After a series of breezy verses that would likely sound even better against the visual backdrop of the Caribbean, a variety of slide guitars and twinkling keys subside to clear way for the vocals of Randall and others. “Don’t be lazy, sing a song for me,” he repeats, sounding surprisingly effective and ardently empowering over the most instrumentally barren point of the song. It is the vocals and its accompanying melody which carries him though, and the violin solo that follows it provides an excellent form of melodic emphasis.

Like “Slumberjack”, “The Nightingale and the Rose” is also notable for showing how the group is able to whip up a ballad with relative ease. As most of the songs on the album are, the melody is nearly impeccable and the hooks are delivered with the utmost precision. Since the group had five years to work on the album though, it is not surprising. With its unique percussion and distinctive melody, “The Nightingale and the Rose” is generally reminiscent of The High Llamas’ more subdued material. While I do understand that comparisons to other chamber-pop artists are abundant, Brent Randall & His Pinecones concoct enough ingenuity to have the potential to serve as one of those brand names of chamber-pop. As a whole, We Were Strangers in Paddington Green reminds me distinctively of Bryan Scary’s efforts, which I featured here and here. “Lion’s Valley”, in particular, even sees Randall with a similar vocal delivery. Like Scary, Randall fuses both chamber-pop and indie-rock to create a sound that is extremely memorable and abundant with hooks. On an album that is somewhat lengthy for a pop album of its kind, the type of consistency showcased on We Were Strangers in Paddington Green is astounding. As we all know now, the five years since Brent Randall & His Pinecones’ last release was well worth the wait.

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Brent Randall & His Pinecones - Strange Love (Don’t Be Lazy)

Download audio file (brand-str.mp3)

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Brent Randall & His Pinecones - Bluebirds, Flowers and Other Things

Download audio file (brand-blu.mp3)

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Brent Randall & His Pinecones - The Nightingale and the Rose

Download audio file (brand-nig.mp3)

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The process of discovering artists can often turn into a domino effect, where reading into the origins of one artist leads to the discovery of another. This fortunate scenario is one of the reasons why I attempt to be so factually evident in writing about these artists, as it not only benefits the reader but also myself since I stumble upon so many affiliated acts in researching an artist’s origins. Often out of curiosity, I look into other releases that a featured artist has participated in. This proves especially useful if they are preparing their first release, as there is little else to go by in determining their growth as a songwriter. For anyone who has read this site as recently as Wednesday, the name Cass McCombs may sound familiar. It should, as the recently featured frontman of Papercuts, Jason Quever, put out his first set of legitimate material in the form of a few piano tracks for McCombs’ debut EP, Not the Way. Curious to see what Quever sounded like in the early part of this decade, I looked into McCombs and found two tracks on his MySpace. What initially was an effort to see how Quever changed as a songwriter evolved into something more, as McCombs lured me in with a mere two tracks that exhibited an extreme talent in songwriting that could not go overlooked.

After listening to the two tracks on McCombs’ MySpace, the sheer power of both “Everything Has to Be Just-So” and “Twins” made me believe that these were likely his signature songs. After all, both songs differed dramatically in tone but succeeded in sounding like an ardently empowering interpretation of indie-rock based on the exceptional songwriting alone. So, you can imagine my surprise after learning that both songs are actually b-sides to past singles. “Everything Has to Be Just-So” is only included on the single for “That’s That”, appearing on his most recent album, Dropping the Writ, which was released in October of 2007. “Twins” is a b-side from the “Sacred Heart” single, a track from his 2005 release, PREfection. Since I was curious as to how outstanding tracks like these could be released as b-sides, this curiosity prompted me to look into both albums and McCombs’ history as a songwriter. Originally a native of Conchord, California, McCombs set out to the east coast when he was 23 and never looked back. It was here where he recorded his debut EP, Not the Way. After the EP was released by the NYC-based Monitor Records in 2002, McCombs began working on his debut full-length, the ambiguously titled A.

Prior to the reissued version put out by 4AD Records in 2004, A had been released previously by Monitor Records in 2003 under the name of Best of Cass McCombs. It was a bold title to give a debut, but many fans maintain to this day that it serves as the best representation of McCombs’ tactful skills as a pop songwriter. Though it remains his most stripped-down release to date, A presented McCombs in an untainted light where amateurish production and subtle flaws contributed to an album where McCombs’ concurrent potential and ability shined brightly. The songs often involved little more than acoustic guitars and keyboards, but McCombs’ mixture of uniquely empowering vocals and heartfelt lyrics added wonderfully to barren but rewarding arrangements. His next release, PREfection, in 2005 proved to be a surprising affair for fans of A. It showed McCombs touting a more ambitious stylistic demeanor, presenting songs with numerous layers of instrumentation and structural tendencies that occasionally went into avant-garde territory. A track like “Sacred Heart” exhibits this quite well, as it finds McCombs’ whimsical delivery flourishing from a variety of electric guitars, bass lines, and a string-like backing synth pad. It actually serves as one of the album’s more conventional tracks in its structural intentions and accessible melody, but this single shows perfectly why McCombs’ ability as a pop songwriter should not be questioned.

While “Sacred Heart” benefits from an anthemic chorus that borrows the jangly demeanor of late ‘80s Brit-rock, I find myself more enamored with its b-side in the exhilarating “Twins”. This proves more indicative of ‘60s British psychedelia with a brooding introduction that features an instrumental whirlwind of both post-punk and psychedelic influences. I find the contemporary relevance of this specific style to be very reminiscent of Pulp’s This Is Hardcore, adding yet another British comparison to McCombs despite the fact that he is from California. It simply speaks to his knowledge of his targeted genre, and in “Twins” he literally does no wrong. Alternating between a whimpering croon and series of self-induced backing harmonies, McCombs continuously comes back to a chorus in which he somberly repeats, “You lied to me, you lied to me.” Underneath a spectacle of melancholic keys and thickly reverberating guitars and bass, “Twins” speaks more to McCombs’ ability than any other song I have come across. While I still find it extremely odd that this was not included on A or his subsequent album, Dropping the Writ, I suppose that cohesion must be valued. It is true that the style of “Twins” does not immediately relate to the flow of A, even if it is soaked in reverb and beautifully haunting instrumentation like on “Sacred Heart”, “Equinox”, or “Subtraction”. It may speak to McCombs’ personal admiration of “Twins” though that it is one of the two tracks posted on his MySpace. I can’t say I can blame him.

The other track on McCombs’ MySpace, “Everything Has to Be Just-So”, sees him explore territory that is more reminiscent of his latest material on Dropping the Writ, his first release for Domino Records. Although this is another effort that has been released as a b-side, the reason for doing so likely can be attributed to the song’s stylistic focus. Dropping the Writ has primarily been classified as an album which contains McCombs’ most linear stylistic direction, with most tracks sitting somewhere in between indie-rock and acoustical pop. It was certainly not a bad album, but fans of McCombs’ previous material hold such a high regard for his releases, as they should. He seemed to be becoming more ambitious with each release, sharpening his production and honing his skills along the way. Dropping the Writ, if anything, was neither a step forward nor a step back, but rather a release that saw developmental immobility. Since most fans of McCombs understand his true potential, it is hard to blame them for forming such high expectations. I personally would love to see McCombs pursue the style of psychedelia successfully attempted on “Twins” and the touch of new-age experimentalism on “Everything Has to Be Just-So” on his next album, but I am sure different fans have different perspectives. But as far as that “next album” goes, McCombs tells us that it should arrive any month now. That is something that all fans can get behind.

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Cass McCombs - Twins

Download audio file (mcco-twi.mp3)

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Cass McCombs - Sacred Heart

Download audio file (mcco-sac.mp3)

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Cass McCombs - Subtraction

Download audio file (mcco-sub.mp3)

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Domino Records

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The specific method of recording an album should never be used an indicator of an artist’s level of commitment. After all, not everyone can afford the $100/hour going rate and, unless an artist is one of the lucky few that gets scooped up by a label and has all of their recording expenses paid for before they even attempt recording a song, they often attempt some amateur recording to satisfy their immediate urges (even if the production quality is equivalent to that of a high school screamo band). You can probably scope out similar demos from reputable bands online by looking thoroughly enough. The point is, an artist’s level of commitment has no bearing on something that is financially driven, but rather how intensely they pursue recording in general. I suppose it speaks enough of Jason Quever’s passion for writing and performing music in the way he recorded the first batch of original material. All in good fun, he packed his eight-track and a bag and broke into his vacationing friend’s house. Making good use of the quiet environment, he recorded a few piano tracks for Cass McCombs’ eventual debut. Free recording space can have its perks, as can recording in a strange environment under odd circumstances.

Seeing that he could put together somewhat polished material, Quever used his gear and knowledge to record the demos for Mockingbird, later to be known as Papercuts’ debut. Although his style has grown more intricate with each passing release, Mockingbird was an impressive effort that drew praise and showcased Quever’s songwriting skills. Fronted by beautiful tracks like “Poor and Free” and “Judy”, Mockingbird found Quever lending his warmly crackling voice to a collection of suave indie-pop tracks with different showings of acoustic guitars, keyboards, violas, and organs. Even though these were his barest songs to date, it was still easy to recognize Quever’s influences. Arguably the most prominent is shoegaze, specifically in the vein of My Bloody Valentine. Quever never pummels the listener with droning chords or like in “When You Sleep” or something similar though; he instead captures beauty through beautiful song arrangements that are often too subdued to be grouped into a category of rock music. It is just stellar pop music at its finest. Quever’s tactful and serene style of songwriting also groups him nicely into a refined version of psychedelic-pop, exhibiting an extraordinary talent that proves similar to that of Caribou’s Daniel Snaith. If direct comparisons were required, this is the one I would make.

An excellent track like “Dictator’s Lament” is nicely representative of Quever’s psychedelic-pop leanings. The sound of an organ immediately becomes a memorable trademark upon the track’s introduction, filling itself in nicely with a pleasant melody that sinks in under a heavily reverbed bass line. Quever’s voice emerges as an innocent croon, sitting somewhere between the voice of Snaith and The Shins’ James Mercer. “Dictator’s Lament” is one of the shortest songs on Papercuts’ third full-length, You Can Have What You Want, but it efficiently presents one of the memorable moments of the album with a chorus that takes its listener to a breezy, colorful world of psychedelic perfection. The following track, “The Machine Will Tell Us So”, also accomplishes this extraordinarily, though in a darker tone that reaps greatly from an organ-bass combo that keeps Quever in a momentary state of ardent restraint. When he howls with fervor after nearly two minutes of build-up, the listener cannot help but feel satisfied as a slickly reverbed electric guitar concludes each successive verse. The following bridge also proves wonderful, working in a very effective bass line over an exotically invigorating organ melody. Both tracks are genuinely a listening journey, and all those that appreciate psychedelic-pop should find immediate comfort in Papercuts’ distinctive style after playing them.

Upon first listen, the folk-based introduction of “Jet Plane” may seem to indicate that You Can Have What You Want is heading for a different direction on the second half of the album, but when the beautiful collision of strings, bass, and percussion occurs it should make the listener fully comfortable and satisfied with Papercuts’ stylistic direction. Quever’s vocals here sound more nasally than usual, evoking either Billy Corgan or Wayne Coyne with his distinctive verse-based melody and backing vocal effects. Like the most upbeat pop tracks on the album like “Dictator’s Lament” and the self-titled effort, it succeeds in all ways imaginable by mastering the audible representation of tranquility. That same self-titled track in “You Can Have Why You Want” is also worth mentioning for its delicate mixture of acoustic guitars, twinkling keys, and wavering synth pad, once again demonstrating the highly impressive amount of beauty that Quever and his collaborators (one of them being Beach House’s Alex Scally) put into each and every song. You Can Have What You Want is a triumph from start to finish, and anyone who enjoys pop music should give it the proper time. Fortunately, all ten tracks grow easily on the listener with their distinctive melodies and original tone, solidifying Quever’s evident position as a supremely talented songwriter. For this longtime resident of San Francisco, 2009 should prove to be a very big year for Papercuts.

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Papercuts - Dictator’s Lament

Download audio file (pcuts-dic.mp3)

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Papercuts - The Machine Will Tell Us So

Download audio file (pcuts-mac.mp3)

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Papercuts - You Can Have What You Want

Download audio file (pcuts-you.mp3)

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Gnomonsong Records

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When a band’s name derives from Charles Baudelaire novella that was released in 1847, I do not think that calling the members a bunch of bookworms would be an exaggeration. Many of us appreciate fine literature and its influence has fascinatingly proven to apply to more than just writers. Diction, vocabulary, and style are just a few basic things that a writer or poet can take as an influence from quality literature, but what the average reader can take away may be even more impactful. Movies can provide great visual justice as to how life looked in the 1700s, 500s, and 1 BC with costumes, set props, and overdone accents, but can any film truly exceed the historical relevance of literature that was actually written during its referenced period? It’s doubtful. Most historians would prefer studying the textual version of Beowulf to seeing the film version, for the reason that no amount of research can be as effective as practically going back in time by reading the thoughts, descriptions, and ideologies of individuals that existed at that specific time. This is the reason why Fanfarlo chose to provide an ode of sorts to Baudelaire’s La Fanfarlo, as the period piece is a summation of Fanfarlo’s appreciation for all things scenic, engrossing, and throwback.

The London-based six-piece have been through a wide array of books, with the titles ranging from Penguin’s History of the World to Kurt Vonnegut’s classics, and Fanfarlo allow their historical reverence shine through on a track like “Harold T. Wilkins” History buffs like Colin Meloy and Sufjan Stevens have fared well in the world of indie-rock, but comparing their material to Fanfarlo does not give enough individualistic justice to the six-piece. Apart from the fact that their lyrical approach is never pretentiously inclusive to listeners that wholly understand the historical context, Fanfarlo have a steady pop ideology that distances itself from other contemporaries that opt for intricacy over infectiousness. With this in mind, I guess it is no surprise that a Swede is responsible for the group’s origins. Simon Aurell formed Fanfarlo in 2006 with Justin Finch, performing as a duo until five others joined throughout the following years. It speaks enough of the Fanfarlo’s potential that the five others joined after seeing some incarnation of Farnfarlo live. After coming away so impressed, there was nothing else to do but join. Mark West left the band in December, making Fanfarlo a six-piece for the February 14th release of their debut full-length album, Reservoir. Prior to Reservoir, Fanfarlo released four singles on a four different labels. Two of the most recent, “Harold T. Wilkins” and “Fire Escape”, appear on Reservoir.

The glittery allure of “Fire Escape” has made it arguably Fanfarlo’s most recognizable song up to this point. The six-piece are likely relieved by this too, as the track summarizes their style quite well. Aurell shows off his pop songwriting chops with a majestic chorus that effervescently erupts with horns, bass, electric guitars, and Aurell’s balmy voice. The verses benefit from a similar degree of chamber-pop goodness, with a key-led arpeggio found focused under a thick array of electric guitar progressions and prominent bass use. When listening to this, it should make sense to listeners why Fanfarlo made “Fire Escape” the first single from Reservoir; the first several minutes are filled with purely infectious goodness, while the sweeping conclusion of trumpets and strings establish the sentiment that Fanfarlo’s vision is too ambitious to be grouped in with the other chamber-pop acts that stick together a few verses and a chorus and call it a day. This is a group that intricately crafts their songs for maximized cohesion, as the conventional structural tendencies that expose their distinctive style of pop music always has a good amount of ambitiousness at its side to make things diverse enough for everyone. Fans of chamber-pop, folk, and Brit-pop will likely be the ones most satisfied with Fanfarlo, but I would be surprised if anyone who enjoyed indie-pop could resist either “Fire Escape” or “Harold T. Wilkins”. Both are fantastic tracks that precluded the release of Reservoir very nicely.

The ode to Harold T. Wilkins, an early 20th century British journalist and historian, is more straightforward with its stylistic delivery. The folky, acoustical progression that is introduced along with Aurell’s vocals sounded immediately familiar to me, but Fanfarlo’s ability to execute melodic transitions allows the song to follow into uncharted territory once Cathy Lucas’ backing vocals are incorporated. Like “Fire Escape”, “Harold T. Wilkins” features a star-studded chorus that expresses both joy and charisma in its twinkling and melodically astute nature. As for the album’s new tracks, “I’m a Pilot” and “Ghosts” are two efforts that show an edgier side of Fanfarlo. A simplistically poppy bass line initially takes control of “Ghosts”, quickly to be accompanied by a flurry of strings that seem to act as a representation of tension and chaos. Although both of the album’s preceding singles were excellent, it would be hard to argue against “Ghosts” being one of their best written songs. A mixture of horns, keys, and guitars are used to their full potential here as the track separates between instrumental and vocal sections in increasingly effective form. The way that “Ghosts” builds up is extraordinarily and it proves highly indicative of the band’s level of talent. The opening “I’m a Pilot” is one of their more dramatic efforts, mixing somber strings with opportunistic keys over a percussive procession that steadily evolves over a repeating piano progression. Just like many other songs on the album, the conclusion is one of the finest points of the song because of the masterful way that it utilizes all previous instruments to orchestrate something moving and convincingly powerful. It is a representation of Fanfarlo’s grandiose scope, a quality that makes Reservoir one of the most memorable debuts of 2009.

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Fanfarlo - Ghosts

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Fanfarlo - Fire Escape

Download audio file (fanfar-fir.mp3)

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Fanfarlo - I’m a Pilot

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In the spirit of a Friday, I figured that featuring two instantaneously accessible artists would be appropriate. On drowsy Mondays or monotonous Tuesdays, I find myself more willing to dive into artists of an increasingly intricate vein. Perhaps it is because the impending day is often so dull and I strive for stimulating excitement of any sort, but Fridays are a different case altogether (even when it’s the 13th). After all the day’s responsibilities are completed, there are few better moments of the week than a Friday night. Overtime from your boss withstanding, Friday night marks the beginning of a weekend, a universal time for get-togethers, and – my personal favorite – the privilege to plan your night by your own standards, not by an alarm clock the next day. In fact, if Keynes’ “leisure weekend” was ever implemented, there is a good chance that we would lose our adoration for such a trademark weekday. Both of these featured artists create music that may be simplistic on an analytical level, but their immediate level of excitement remains representative of a day like today, where excitement and quality are not hard to find; they just arrive on their own if you play it by ear.

The first group goes by the name of WhoMadeWho, a clever choice considering their broad array of influences. An initial listen will flaunt shades of ‘90s alternative-rock, specifically in a British context with groups like Blur and Supergrass serving as enjoyable constants. This is most prominent in their use of jangly guitars and the crisp delivery of both Jeppe Kjellberg’s and Tomas Hoffding, though this context certainly does not apply to every aspect of their sound. For the most part, their emphasis on more electro-influenced styles like funk, dance, and house is delivered more prominently. The result is an extremely modernistic sound that fuses the enjoyable aspects of ‘90s alt-rock with several accessible elements of contemporary indie-electronica. This description tends to place WhoMadeWho among similarly fused acts like Klaxons (whom they have toured with), though WhoMadeWho’s delivery is generally too polished to make this comparison entirely justifiable. For a stellar pop track like “The Plot”, the refined mannerisms emit more of a radio-friendly appeal than any form of angst or pettiness. As I previously mentioned, it is not WhoMadeWho’s intricacy or boldness that makes them memorable. It is the way in which they can craft a stellar pop hook using familiar influences of both the present and past, making that feeling of instantaneous captivation a frequent occurrence for the listener.

WhoMadeWho have already shared the stage with the likes of Hot Chip, Justice, and LCD Soundsystem, and such acts provide a good indication of their stylistic demeanor. WhoMadeWho’s knack to implement additional genres – which reaches back as far as ‘60s psychedelia – is also a uniquely creative component that most groups of their nature fail to succeed in accomplishing. Often one will find such indecisiveness between incorporating rock and electronica in acts like this, but the Danish trio show no hesitation whatsoever. “The Plot”, the self-titled track off of their upcoming album, begins with some standard indie-rock flair. A very prominent bass, a few guitar chords or so, and Hoffding’s slight falsetto in the chorus establish a very infectious tone from the get-go, though the track becomes more eclectic as it progresses. After the introductory chorus, the verse attempts a slight stylistic shift with a repeating synth line. The melody here is a more subdued version of the first verse, and it makes the subsequent reversion into indie-rock territory that much more seamless. With the booming bass and occasional synth lines counteracting with the hectic percussion and ardent vocals, one could make a case in saying that “The Plot” summarizes the direction that WhoMadeWho will take on their new album. If this is the case, success seems practically imminent.

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WhoMadeWho - The Plot

Download audio file (whoma-plo.mp3)

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WhoMadeWho - The Train

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Compared to WhoMadeWho, it would be practical to say that La Roux seem more primed for widespread recognition. Apart from already being scooped up by a major label in Polydor, the British duo have received significant airplay across the UK for irresistible efforts like “Quicksand” and will be the supporting act on Lily Allen’s upcoming UK tour. Much like The Knife (but without the brother-sister connection), La Roux are comprised of two members that both have an esteemed knowledge of electronic pop music. Elly Jackson serves as the face and vocals of La Roux, while both she and Ben Langmaid create the infectious melodies with their personal arsenal of synthesizers. Unlike WhoMadeWho, their style is strictly within the realm of electronica, but that does not hinder them from standing out from the rest. Though their songs are extremely conventional and straightforward, their material has a special flair to it that derives from both its infectious qualities and atmospheric consistencies. Jackson’s voice is one that quivers and yelps in accordance to the backing instrumentation, best evidenced by the convincingly danceable “Quicksand”.

Even at the beginning of “Quicksand”, Jackson is an immediate force. Taking advantage of consummate production and high-end technology, she shifts between several ranges and tones of production seamlessly. This track sees her delivery transition from robotic-like, tight vocals into a very flexible approach during the chorus in which she simply proclaims, “I’m in the quicksand”. Again, there are no lyrical revelations to be found or stylistic innovations, but the songwriting and production are solid and Jackson certainly has what it takes to become a memorable figure in electronic pop music. Whether this type of music is too electronically engineered for a mass audience is questionable, as the current “hot faces” in the UK like Lilly Allen and Amy Winehouse deliver a more orchestrated, expectable form of pop music. But if electro-pop becomes the mainstream genre of choice in the next year or decade, La Roux are surely primed to hit the big time. One reason to believe this is by looking at their string of song releases. Hyped electro-pop bands in the vein of La Roux often tend to release a great song or two and disappear, but considering that they have already released two electrifying singles in “Quicksand” and “In For the Kill” (the latter to be released on March 16th), it would be surprising to see their upcoming full-length disappoint.

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La Roux - Quicksand

Download audio file (larou-qui.mp3)

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La Roux - In For the Kill

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Stereotypes are difficult to shake off some genres, as the primary innovators of them are usually considered to be the archetypical reference point for those aspiring to pursue the style. Structural tendencies are rarely what define a genre since experimentation can be prevalent in all styles of music without it being a hindrance to classification. As a result, listeners often resort to classification through means of instrumentation, historical relevance, and even methods of production. The latter proves to be a rather outdated method since the definition of “quality production” seems to fluctuate with each passing year, but the other two still apply. Upon examining a piece of music, we unknowingly become influenced by the media in determining a song’s genre. There exists some one-hundred or so proposed genres, most of them resulting in an overly intricate attempt from journalists and musicians to concisely classify a song or release. It would be interesting to see what the members of Bruce Peninsula think about such an occurrence, as they are one of the few groups whose sound can truly not be grouped into one category. Their main focal points include folk, soul, rock, and an eerily brilliant infusion of gospel music, though one is not even slightly predominant over the others. This creates for an interesting experience, something that serves as one of the few legitimate excuses for a fancily concocted genre.

If forced to choose, folk would personally be my classification for Bruce Peninsula. The genre has demonstrated such flexibility this past decade, with artists finding success in both traditional and modernized approaches. Bruce Peninsula find themselves somewhere in between the two; they express a veneration for the past with scenic lyrical content and a call-and-response vocal approach, but their infusion of other elements within the worlds of gospel and soul place them in a category where few others exist. It would have been rare to see a folk artist in a decade other than this one attempt such a stylistically multifarious approach while still remaining in the realm of their respective genre, but Bruce Peninsula prove to be a new breed that dares to defy any and all stereotypes that apply to folk music. They exist partly as a possessed choir and partly as leaders of some tribal procession, leading way for an exhilarating presentation that blends conventionalism with culturally atypical methods. Some may say that folk music must have some incorporation of a non-electric guitar with little backing instrumentation, but listeners of Bruce Peninsula have or will learn otherwise. With their newest album, they strive to defy the predictable elements that make some music derivative, regardless of their genre.

The origins of Bruce Peninsula trace back to 2006. Naming their project after a scenic peninsula in their native province of Ontario, Misha Bower and Matt Cully enlisted a wide variety of musicians to fulfill a stylistic vision that could only be accomplished through a precise selection process. The dozen or so members that accompany Bruce Peninsula when at its fullest are all fine surveyors of the band’s target genres: folk, soul, and gospel. The female members often make up a haunting choir of sorts, backing the coarsely invigorating vocals of Neil Haverty. Bower also occasionally serves as the female lead, making her mark with quick but extremely effective moments in tracks like “2nd 4th World War” and “Weave Myself a Dress”, the latter in which she stars as a sympathetic protagonist stricken by loneliness and grief. Considering her powerful, trembling vocals on tracks like this, I feel that the Bruce Peninsula’s full-length debut, A Mountain Is a Mouth, may have benefitted from seeing more of her voice. Still, with a uniquely captivating voice like Haverty’s taking the lead, it is a tough decision to make. Regardless though, the album hits all the right marks with its wide range of emotions. Whether it is Haverty’s bluesy howl toward the end of the breathtaking opener “Inside/Outside” or the ceaseless action of percussion on the energetic “Crabapples”, A Mountain Is a Mouth is full of ardent moments diverse enough to captivate a listener for months on end.

The aforementioned “Weave Myself a Dress” also tends to serve as a consummate example of Bruce Peninsula’s tonal and emotional diversity. Bower initially guides her crackling voice over a pair of acoustic guitars and a twinkling keyboard, with an eerie string-like effect in the distance providing a striking backdrop over her longing lyrics. The track continues like this for several minutes before near-ambience takes over. Bower then lets out a howl over this phased ambiance, allowing the soft strumming of an acoustic guitar to answer in response. When she lets out another one, two guitars become involved. Eventually, the melody seamlessly shifts into a joyous choir of sorts as Bower’s voice remains distinct over a unisex chorus. To check out Haverty’s tremendous vocal power, one should look no farther than “Shutters”. This powerful effort begins with a similarly accompanying choir as Haverty trembles, “Like water from a whale spout, the spray unveils its crown.” As strings can be heard building up in the background, the listener can sense impending turbulence. When the volatile rhythm section collides abruptly with a series of guitars, the track intensifies to a level of irresistibility. Haverty either sounds like a deranged madman or a brilliant preacher, with his accomplice of choirs hitting the notes that his musky voice cannot. The track becomes somewhat serene during the middle, but then follows it up with an even more grandiose setting than the introduction. Such tactful precision is what makes Bruce Peninsula so special, and it is a sentiment expressed brilliantly on A Mountain Is a Mouth.

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Bruce Peninsula - Shutters

Download audio file (bpen-shu.mp3)

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Bruce Peninsula - Inside/Outside

Download audio file (bpen-ins.mp3)

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Bruce Peninsula - Weave Myself a Dress

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When the time occurs in which technology overtakes many basic human functions and automation becomes a habit, many futurists claim that we will revert into something of a “leisure society”. John Maynard Keynes, one of the forefathers of macroeconomics, projected that most modernized countries would see a decrease in work time and an increase in leisure time, so much that in 2030 we would have more days off than at work. “We shall do more things for ourselves than is usual with the rich to-day,” he wrote in an essay from 1930, “only too glad to have small duties and tasks and routines.” As glorious as a four or five-day weekend sounds though, the chances of this arising within 25 years are quite marginal. Critics claim that Keynes failed to account for people’s relative needs, which are things that people want but are not required to have. Someone could likely live a similar lifestyle from working only three or four days per week now, but it would be very doubtful that they would have the extra expenses to buy things like iPods, stereos, and other products that are nice but not necessary. Also, in our current economic situation, there are people that would gladly take up a well-paying occupation that requires five or six days per week. This “leisure society” seems farther away than when Keynes first envisioned it, but that does not mean that some people cannot yearn for it through artistic means.

This background information can certainly be useful for discovering the origins of The Leisure Society’s name, but what it does more importantly is assist in identifying their desired sound and how they achieve it so successfully. Perhaps the group says it best in their own words, clarifying that “they strive for a time of relaxation through automation, for a moment when they can hold their table tennis bats aloft and salute modernity”. Much like Keynes, their desire for a world in which people are judged by their qualitative actions and not by how long they sit in a cubicle is prevalent. Whether one is best judged by what they do in their free time or how well they perform in a menial occupational task is an argument that cannot be won due to subjectivity. It is also an argument that everyone from economists to philosophers can jump into. As for the boys of The Leisure Society, they present their ideology quite clearly. Through glimpses of luxurious chamber-pop and melodic folk music, they present listeners with a ceaselessly soothing style that is made memorable by lead vocalist Nick Hemming’s delicate voice and naturally infectious songwriting. Simplicity is a concept that The Leisure Society proclaim throughout the album, both in their charming songwriting and lyrical content. Whether they sing of yearning for the days when “life was so much simpler” in “Love’s Enormous Wings” or the overemphasis on assigned tasks in “A Short Weekend Begins With Longing”, it is evident that this British collective value enjoyment through the simple things in life, those in which people often overlook because of demanding schedules and occupational conformity.

“Turned into stone, all the people they had known,” Hemming sings on the effervescent, string-led “A Short Weekend Begins With Longing”. “Lost on their way through a world of blank expression,” he continues. “No one made the time, everybody had their reasons.” The lines seems conventional enough under the caressing strings and gently plucked acoustic guitars, but for Hemming it is a summation of the album’s thematic approach. As they attempt to define the separation between work and leisure time (weekdays and weekends), it is impossible to avoid the sheer charm of The Leisure Society’s songwriting and general stylistic approach. What they have done so effectively is mix stellar orchestration with compatible lyrical sentiments to create an album that reaps from cohesion, resulting in a perfect mood piece. Abrasiveness is not found on one note throughout the 11 tracks on their debuting The Sleeper, showcasing the meticulous craftwork of Hemming’s songwriting. Chamber-pop may be the most readily available genre to clump this one into, but an additional emphasis on folk, country, and pop makes attempting to singularly classifying The Sleeper a futile effort. Though the lyrical focus, structural tendencies, and choice of instrumentation is consistent, longtime fans of Hemming should be hardly surprised that he has offered up enough variety to excite listeners. After all, The Leisure Society’s frontman has been around for quite awhile, and this looks to be just the thing that will lead to his recognition beyond the island of Great Britain.

Even though his best days are still ahead of him, the story of Hemming’s career is quite an interesting one. His first project was an indie-rock group by the name of She Talks to Angels, a short-lived outfit that lasted from 1990 to 1993. The interesting thing is that it featured actor/director Paddy Considine and director Shane Meadows before they became stars in the UK. Considine has starred in a few great movies like In America while being featured prominently in films like Hot Fuzz and The Bourne Ultimatum, while Meadows is considered one of the most promising directors in the UK after directing the already cult-classic Dead Man’s Shoes and the universally acclaimed This Is England. The demise of She Talks to Angels was rooted in both of their desires to pursue film, a belief that proved to benefit both of them and Hemming in the process. Since they were former bandmates, Meadows let Hemming write the music for two of his films, A Room for Romeo Brass and Dead Man’s Shoes. After spending some time in the ’90s with bands like The Telescopes and Unisex, he began constructing the initial stages of The Leisure Society. The group’s debut single, “The Last of the Melting Snow”, was released this past December to a warm reception among British radio shows. The second single, “A Matter of Time”, will be released on March 16th, precisely one week before the release of the album itself, The Sleeper.

While The Sleeper offers plenty of memorable songs, the one that most immediately captivated me was “Love’s Enormous Wings”. The bare effort of a ukulele eventually finds itself complemented by an upright bass, woodwinds, and sparkling keys, paving the way for the song’s excellent development. The melody tends to repeat itself throughout the entire track, with the instrumental additions of a new string arrangement or woodwind accompaniment establishing the subtle melodic alterations. Considering that it is so beautiful though, it is hard to complain. Hemming’s vocals carry this one with extravagance and bliss. “Oh, once life was so much simpler,” he sings. “I had a heart, she owns it now. I’ll get it back some day.” The lyrical tone is melancholic and reflective, but the arrangement suggests otherwise in its briskly infectious delivery. If anything, the track perfectly summarizes how The Leisure Society are able to craft beautiful gems using little more than conventional structures and highly melodic instrumentation. Well, let us not forget Hemming’s stellar songwriting as well. On The Sleeper, all of these forms are showcased in an accessible and memorable manner that should have listeners coming back for more, whether they are in the middle of a workday or just beginning a weekend. The Leisure Society fit nicely on both occasions, even if they tend to be partial to the latter.

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The Leisure Society - Love’s Enormous Wings

Download audio file (lsoc-lov.mp3)

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The Leisure Society - A Short Weekend Begins with Longing

Download audio file (lsoc-ash.mp3)

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The Leisure Society - The Last of the Melting Snow

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Throughout their educational career, one often comes across a teacher or professor that leaves a durable mark on their future. These could either be individuals who teach from knowledge, their heart, or both; it depends purely on the student’s perception of what makes a teacher effective and - in modern terms - cool. My personal definition of a “cool teacher” is one that allows students to participate in stimulating discussions in order to form their own awareness of a certain topic. I have had even the dullest topics, whether it was math or science, become understandable and even somewhat enjoyable through the tactful work of some teachers. Of course, it also helped if they gave exams or papers that were not too difficult. Out of all the teachers that I have had though, I can confidently say that none of them took an approach that was similar to the one of Timothy Showalter. In fact, after reading about some of his tactics, it almost makes me want to go back in time and become an 8th grader all over again. Well, maybe that’s a stretch, but learning to expand my artistic imagination by telling fantasy stories alongside songs by bands like Sigur Rós in the classroom sounds like an innovative and enjoyable way to get the most out of kids’ imaginations. “It really showed me how beautiful kids’ imaginations are,” Showalter said in an interview, providing a glimpse of just how genuine his intentions really are.

For someone who has such a commendably high awareness of the importance of youthful imaginations, it should come as little surprise that Showalter is also an artist himself. The guitar strummin’, Sigur Rós-playing, long-bearded teacher is likely hailed as the coolest teacher in the school based on his inventive teaching approach alone, but his status as a potential rock star certainly should help. Well, rock star is an overstatement since his debut album, Leave Ruin, ushers in a soft and melodic mixture of indie-pop and folk as its main stylistic focus, but Showalter can at least be assured that he will always have a willing audience to try out his new material on. At the moment, Showalter’s students have no awareness of his musical project Strand of Oaks, but it seems pretty likely that one or two of them will stumble upon either intentionally or by accident in the near future, as the buzz is certainly building up online for the impressive Leave Ruin. As for Mr. Showalter, he teaches and makes his home in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Although he is an Indiana native, he considers Wilkes-Barre to be his home based on the town’s strong sense of community. And although he and his fiancé plan to move to Philadelphia for a few years since she plans to pursue her Masters, Showalter has said that it would take a lot to keep him away from Wilkes-Barre.

The collection of songs on Leave Ruin encompass a broad chronological variety of songs, as Showalter has been writing songs for about a decade. Over the past few years, he has been modifying them slightly in an effort to complete them in a satisfactory manner. He found himself at a mental block for a number of songs, but he began refining his songs with a passion before and after his days as a schoolteacher. Showalter shortly found welcome contributions from his friend, Lou Rogai of Lewis & Clarke, and began pushing his album even more toward completion. Rogai suggested to Showalter that they record the majority of album at the studio of Dan McKinney, a Pennsylvania native who is based in Lehigh Valley. They also worked with engineer Tom Asselin, who along with Rogai made some vital contributions to the final version of Leave Ruin. The result was somewhat of a mix between the raw lyrical folk of Nebraska-era Springsteen, the contemporary fusion of folk and pop from Bright Eyes, and the warmly harmonious reverberations of The Mamas & the Papas. For someone who had grown up enamored by the capabilities of electronic music, it was a surprising stylistic development for Showalter but it worked out very well in the end. “I’m not sure why I ever started playing the music I do now,” he remarked. On tracks like the romanticized, key-led “Sister Evangeline” and the gospel-influenced “Mourning Worker” with its organs and slide guitars, you will likely wonder the same thing. It hardly matters though, as Showalter has succeeded in this style with such precision that there is little reason to turn back.

The album’s opening track, “End in Flames”, delivers a strong personal statement from Showalter in vaguely anecdotal form. One unfortunate day, Showalter came home to see his home on fire, with every one of his imaginable possessions inside. He was distraught, even sleeping in his charred bed the day after the fire, but he eventually overcame it. In fact, one could say that such an event gave Showalter the artistic stimulation that he required, as he began the process for creating Leave Ruin shortly thereafter. Appropriately enough, the melody sifts a fine line between melancholy and heartfelt optimism. Several hushed piano chords and a frantic electric guitar progression establishes the track’s initial workings. “To see the world end in flames, to see the world end in flames,” he then repeats, opening way for the warm embrace of the rhythm section. After referring to the hyperbolic metaphor that is the song’s title, he speaks of beauty in one another before touching on reflection for a final time. Accompanied by a simple but warmly effecting melody, it is a genuinely enjoyable effort that opens up an album full of similar sentiments. “Two Kids” is less majestic in scope in both lyrical and melodic elements, but the subtleties like the hushed handclaps and involvement of a banjo “Because men my age, it’s hard for us to say all the places that we’ve gone wrong,” he sings, once again referring to the process of moving on and reflecting upon life in a positive manner. This is a constant theme throughout the album, which is somewhat ironic since Showalter’s greatest days still appear to lie ahead of him.

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Strand of Oaks - End in Flames

Download audio file (soaks-end.mp3)

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Strand of Oaks - Mourning Worker

Download audio file (soaks-mou.mp3)

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Strand of Oaks - Two Kids

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